"Pcse," quod the Hoost of Southwork; "let stond the wyndow glasid; [amasid: Goith up and doith your offerynge; ye semith half Sith ye be in company of honest men and good Worchith somwhat aftir them, and let the kynd of brode

Pas for a tyme; I hold it for the best, [rest." For who doith aftir company may live the bet in Then passid they forth boystly gogling with their hedis, [bedis Knelid adown to fore the shrine, and hertlich their They preyd to Seint Thomas in such wyse as they couth;

And sith the holy relikes ech man with his mowith Kissid, as a gooldy monk the names told and taught,

And sith to othir places of holynes they raught, And wer in their devòcioune tyl service wer al doon, And sith they drowgh to dynerward as it drew to noon, [bought, Then as manere and custom is, signes there they For men of contre shuld know whome they had sought.

4

Eche man set his silver in such thing as they likid,
And in the meen while the Miller had ypikid
His bosom ful of signys of Caunterbury brochis,
Though the Pardoner and he pryvely iu hir pouchis,
They put them afterwards that noon of them it
wist,

Save the Sompner seid somwhat, and seid to he list, "Halff part," quod he, prively rowning on their ere;

"Husht! pees," quod the Miller, "seist thou nat the Frere,

How he lowrith undir his hood with a doggish eye? Hit shuld be a privy thing that he coud nat aspy; Of every craft he can somwhat our lady gave hym sorowe!"" [on morowe: "Amen," tho quod the Sompner, on eve and eke So cursid a tale he told of me the devill of Hell hem spede, [mede, And me, but yf I pay him wele and quyte wele his Yf it hap homward that ech man tell his tale, As we did hiderward, though we shuld set at sale All the shrewdnes that I can, I woll hym nothing spare,

That I n'ol touch his takerd somwhat of his care." They set their signys upon their hedes, and som oppon their capp,

And sith to the dynerward they gan for to stapp.
Every man in his degre wish and toke his sete,
As they were wont to doon at soper and at mete,
And were in silence for a tyme tyl good alc gan
And then, as nature axith, as these old wise [arise,
Knowen wele, when veynys been somwhat replete,
The sperits wol stere, and also metis swete
Causen oft myrthis for to be ymevid,
And eke it was no tyme tho for to be ygrevid,
Every man in his wyse made hertly chere,
Telling his felowe of sportys and of chere,
And of othir mirthis that fellyn by the wey,
As custome is of pylgryms, and hath been many
a dey.

[knowe, The Hoost leid to his ere, of Southworke as ye And thenkid al the company both high and lowe, So wele kepeing the covenaunt in Southwork that was made,

That every man shuld by the wey with a tale glade All the whole company in shorting of the wey; And al is wele performed: but than now thus I sey,

With a litil more that I shall sey therto: Yec graunted of yeur curtesy that we shuld also All the hole company sope with yewe at nyght? Thus I trowe that it was; what sey you, sir knyght?" "It shal nat nede," quod the Hoost, "to axe no witnes;

Your record is good I nowe; and of yeur gentilnes Yit I prey yew efft ageyn; for by Seynt Thomas shryne

And ye woll hold covenaunt I woll hold myne," "Now trewely Hoost," quod the Knyght, “ye have right wel yseyd;

And as towching my persone I hold me payde; And so Itrowe that al doith: sirs, what sey ye?" The monk and eke the marchaunte and al seid "Ye."

"Then al this aftir-mete, I hold it for the best;
To sport and pley us," quod the Hoost, "eche
man as hym lest,

And go by tyme to soper and to bed also,
So mowe we erly rysen our journey for to do."
The Knyght arose therwithal, and cast on a fresher
And his sone anothir, to walk in the town, [gown,
And so did all the remnaunt that were of that aray,
That had their chaungis with them, they made
them fresh and gay,

Sortid them togidir, right as their lustis lay,
As they were more usid travelling by the way.
The Knyght with his meyne went to see the walle
And the wards of the town, as to a knyght befall,
Devising ententißlich the strengthis al about,
And appointid to his sone the perell and the dout
For shot of arblast and of bowe, and eke for shot
of gonne,
[wone;
Unto the wardis of the town, and how it might be
And al defence ther ageyn aftir his intent
He declarid compendiously, and al that evir he ment
He sone perseyvid every poynt, as he was ful abit.
To armes and to travaile and persone convenabill
He was of all factur aftir fourm of kynd,
And for to deme his governaunce it semed that his
Was much in his lady that he lovid best, [mynd
That made hym offt to wake when he shuld have
his rest.
[nore seyd;
The Clerk that was of Oxenforth onto the Somp-
"Me semeth of grete clerge that thow art amayde,
For thou puttest on the frer in maner of repreff,
That he knoweth falshede, vice, and eke a theff;
And I it hold vertuonse and right commendabil!
To have very knowlech of thinges reprovabill;
For who so may eschew it, and let it pas by,
And els he might fall theron unward and sodenly.
And thoughe the Frer told a tale of a Sompnour,
Thow oughtist for to take it for no dishonour,
For of al craftis and of eche degre
They be not al perfite, but som nyce be."
"Lo! what is worthy," seyd the Kuight,
"for to
be a clerk;
[derke:
To sommon among us them this mocioune was ful
I comend his wittis and eke his clerge,
For of ether part he saveth honeste."
The Monk toke the Parsone then and the grey Frer,
And preyd them for curtesy for to go in fere:
"I have ther acquaintaunce that al this yeres thre
Hath preyd bym by his lettris that I hym wold se;

And ye my brothir in habit and in possessioune,
And now I am here methinketh it is to doon,
To preve it in dede what chere he wold me make,
And to yew my frende also for my sake."
They went forth togidir talking of holy matere,
But woot ye wele in certeyn they had no mind on

watere

To drynk at that tyme, when they wer met in fere, For of the best that myght be founde, and therewith mery chere,

They had, it is no doubte; for spycys and eke wine Went round about the gastoyn and eke the ruyne. The Wyfe of Bath was so wery, she had no wyl to walk,

She toke the Priores by the honde; "Madam, wol ye stalk,

Pryvely into the garden to se the herbes growe, And aftir with our host'is wife in hir parlour rowe? I wol gyve yewe the wyue and ye shul me also, For tyl we go to soper we have nought els to do," The Priores, as women taught of gentil blood and hend,

Assentid to hir counsel, and forth gon they wend, Passyng forth softly into the herbery,

For many a herb grewe for sewe and surgery, And all the aleys feir, and parid, and raylid, and ymakid,

The savige and the isope yfrethid and ystakid, And othir beddis by and by fresh ydight, For comers to the hooste righte a sportful sight. The Marchaunt and the Mancipill, the Miller and the Reve, [meve, And the Clerk of Oxenforth, to townward gan they And al the othir meyne, and lafft noon at home Save the Pardonor, that pryvelich when al they wer goon

Stalkid into the tapstry; for nothing wol he leve
To make his covenaunte in certeyn that same eve;
He wold be loggit with hir, that was his hole en-
tentioune.

But hap and eke Fortune, and all the constellacioune,
Was clere hym ageyns, as ye shul aftir here;
For him had better be yloggit al nyght in a myere
Than he was the same nyght or the Sun was up;
For such was his fortune he drank without the
cupp;

But thereof wist he no delay; ne No man of us alle
May have that high connyng to know what shall befall.
He stappid into the tapstry wondir pryvely,
And fond hir ligging lirylong with half slopy eye,
Pourid fellich undir hir hood, and saw all his
comyng,
[hir slepyng.
And lay ay still, as naught she knewe, but feynid
He put his hond to hir brest; "Awake," quod he,
"awake.".

"A, benedicite! Sir, who wist yew her? out tho I myght betake

"Prisoner," quod the Tapstere, "being al aloon;" And therwith breyd up in a frite, and began to groon. [he. "Now sith ye be my prisoner yeld yew now," quod "I must nedis," quod she, "I may nothyng fle; And eke I have no strengith, and am but yong of

;

Women ben som tyme of day when they be aloon.
Wher coud I yew prey when ye com efftsone ?"
Nowe mercy, dere swetyng! I wol do so no more;
I thank you an hundrit sithis; and also by your lore
I wol do hereaftir in what plase that I com :
But lovers, Kitt, ben evil avysid full oft, and to lom
Wherfore I prey you hertlich hold me excused,
And I behote yew trewly it shall no more be usid.
But now to our purpose: how have ye fare
Sith I was wyth you last! that is my most care;
For yf yee eylid eny thing othir wise then good,
Trewly it wol chaunge my chere and my blood."
"I have farid the wers for yewe," quod Kitt; "do
ye no drede

mancy,

God that is above? and eke ye had no nede
For to congir me, God woot, wyth your nygro-
[body,
That have no more to vaunte me but oonly my
And yf it were disteynid then wer I ondo:
I wis I trowe, Jenkyn, ye be nat to trust to;
For evir more ye clerkis con so much in book
Yee wol wynn a woman at first look."
Thought the Pardonere, "This goth wele," and
made his beter chere,

And axid of hir softly, "Love! who shall ligg here This night that is to comyng? I prey yewe tell me.' "I wis it is grete nede to tell yewe," quod she: "Make it nat overqueynt though you be a clerk; Ye knowe wele inough iwis by loke, by word, by work." [cat?" "Shal I com than, Cristian, and fese awey the Shal ye com? per benedicite! what question is that? Wherfor I prey you hertly to be my counsail? Comyth somwhat late, and for nothing faill; The dorr shall stond that up; put it from you soft, But be wele avysid ye wake nat them on lofft," "Care ye nat," quod Jenkin, "I can theron at best;

Shal no man for my stepyng be wakid of his rest.". Anon they dronk the beverage, and were of oone accord,

As it semed by their chere and also by their word; And al a staunce she lovid hym wele, she toke hym by the swere,

As though he had lernyd cury favel of som old frere, The Pardoner plukkid out of his purs I trow the dowry,

And toke it Kitt in hir hond, and bad her pryvely To orden a rere sopor for them both to, [also, A cawdell ymade with swete wyne and with sugir "For trewly I have no talent to ete in your absence, So longith my herte toward yew to be in yewr pre

He toke his leve, and went his wey as though nothing wer, [wher And met wyth al the felship; but in what plase ne He spake no word therof, but held hym close and styll,

As he that hopid sikirlich to have had al his wyll, And thought many a mery thought by hymself aloon : [goon; "I am a loggit," thought he best, "how so evir it And thoughe it have costid me, yet wol I do my peyn, [ageyn."For to pike hir purs to nyghte and win my cost Now leve I the Pardonere tyll that it be eve, And wol returne me ageyn righte, ther as I did leve. Whan al wer com togider in their herbergage The Hoost of Southwork, as ye knowe, that had no spice of rage,

For she is the falsest that evir yit I knewe;
To pik the mony out of my purs, lord! she made
hir trewe."
[sot,
And therewyth he caught a cardiakill and a cold
For who have love longing, and is of corage hote,
He hath ful many a myry thought tofore his delyte;
And right so had the Pardoner, and was in evil
plight;

For fayling of his purpose he was nothing in ese,
Wherfor he fill sodenlich into a wood rese,
Entryng wondir fast into a frensy
For pur very angir and for jelousy;

[wood

For when he herd a man within, he was almost And because the cost was his no mervel tho the moud

66

Wer turned into vengaunce, of it myght be: But this was the myschief; all so strong as he Was he that was within, and lighter man also, As provid wele the bataile betwene them both to. The Pardonere scrapid efft ageyn; for nothyng wold he blyn, [within. So feyn he wold have herd more of hym that was "What dog is that?" quod the paramour; Kit, wost thou ere?" [donere." "Have God my trowith," quod she, "it is the Par"The Pardoner, with inyscheff! God gyve hym evil preff!" [theff." "Sir," she seid; "by my trowith he is the same "Thereof thou liest," quod the Pardoner, "ard might nat long forbere.

"A thy fals body!" quod he; "the devil of Hell the tere!

For by my trowith a falsher sawe I nevir noon,"
And nempnid hir namys many mo then oon,
Though to rech bir wer noon honeste
Among men of good worship and degre
But, shortly to conclude; when he had chid inowe
He axid his staff spitouslich, with wordis sharp
and rowe.

"Go to bed," quod he within; "no more noyse thow make;

Thy staff shal be redy to morowe I under take," "In soth," quod he, "I wol nat fro the dorr wend Tyl I have my staff."-" Thow bribour, than have the todir end,"

Quod he that was within; and leyd it on his back, Right in the same plase as chapmen berith their And so he did to mo, as he coud a rede, [pak; Graspying aftir with the staff in lengith and eke in brede;

And fond hym othir, whyle redlich inoughe With the staffys end high upon the browe. The hosteler ley oppon his bed and herd of this affray, [asay: And stert him up lightlich, and thought he wold He toke a staff in his hond, and highed wondir blyve

Tyl he wer with the feleship that shuld never thryve. "What be yee?" quod the hosteler; and knew them both wele.

"Hyust! pese," quod the paramour: "Jak, thow must be fele;

Ther is a theff, I tell the, within this hall dorr." "A theff?" quod Jak; "this is a nobill chere That thou hym hast yfound, yf wee him myght cach.”

"Yis, yis, care the nought; with hym we shul mach Wele inowe or he be go, yf so we had lighte, For we to be strong inowe with o man for to fighte."

"The devil of Hell," quod Jak "breke this thev'is bonis !

The key of the kitchen, as it wer for the nonys,
Is above with our dame: and she hath such usage,
And she be wake of her slepe, she fallith in such
a rage

That al the weke aftir there may no man hir plese,
So she stirith about this house a wood rese.
But now I am avisid but how we shul have lyte;
I have too gistis within that this same nyght
Supid in the halle, and had a litill feir: [pire,
Go up," quod Jak, "and loke, and in the ashis
And I wol kepe the dorr; he shall not stert out."
Nay, for God that wol I nat, lest I cach a clout,"
Seid the todir to Jak, "for thou knowist bettir
than I

All the estris of this house; go up thyself and spy." Nay, for soth," quod Jak, "that were grete unrighte [fighte: To aventur oppon a man that with hym did not Sithens thou hast hym bete and with thy staff ypilt, Me thinkith it wer no reson that I shuld be the gilt; [hede, For by the blysyng of the cole he myght se myne And lightly lene me such a stroke my hond to be dede. [about;

Then wol we do by common assent sech hymal Who that metith hym first pay him on the snout; For methought I herd hym here last among the pannys,

pannys aryn?"

Kepe thou the toder side, but ware the watir cannys, And if he be herein ryght sone we shull hym fynde, And we to be strong inowghe o theffe for to bynde." "Aha ha!" thought the Pardoner, "beth the [a gynne; And drowhe oppon that side, and thought oppon So at last he fond oon, and set it on his hede, For as the case was fall ther' to be had grete nede: But yit he graspit ferthirmore to have somwhat in honde,

And fond a grete a ladill right as he was gonde, And thought for to sterte out betwene them both to And waytid wele the paramour that had doon hym

Woo,

[nose, And set him with the ladill on the gruscill on the That all the week aftir he had such a pose, That both his eyin waterid erliche by the morowe, But she that was the cause of it had ther' of no

sorowe.

But now to the Pardoner. As he wold stert awey
The hosteler met with hym, but nothyng to his pay:
The Pardoner ran so swith the pan fill him fro
And Jak hosteler aftir him as blyve as he myght
And stapid oppon a brondeal unware,
[go,
That bym had bin beter to have goon more asware,
For the egg of the pann met with his shynne,
And karff atoo a veyn and the next fyn:
But whils that it was grene he thought litil on,
But when the greneness was apast the greff sat ner
the bone;

Yit Jak leyd to his hond to grope wher it sete,
Aud when he found he was yhurt the Pardoner he

gan to threte,